what's it like
to be a woman
in the room?

specifically in the tech industry 

IT WAS 2005

GOLDEN GATE RUBY

my first Ruby meet up ever

I was excited, scared

and of course overwhelmed

BIG TAKEAWAYS:

 
( WELL, ITS A BIT OF A BOY'S CLUB )

EVERYBODY THINKS I'M CRAFT SERVICES, 

OR IF I'M A RECRUTIER

hu?

 ONE GUY SCOLDED

ME FOR EVEN BEING THERE:

THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY HARD! 

Okay, but why is everyone warning me?

10 INSIGHTS

1. IMPOSTER SYNDROME 

TO THE POWER OF 100

Everybody goes through this.

We enter a room where the general consensus feels

as if we entered the wrong room.  

1. IMPOSTER SYNDROME TIP:

TO THE POWER OF 100

WE ARE HERE TO STAY

DON'T IGNORE US

2. I'M THE ONLY WOMAN 

IN THE ROOM 

Oh no! Who are my friends?

IF NOBODY TALKS TO US... 

HOW DO YOU THINK 

THAT FEELS?

  

2. I'M THE ONLY WOMEN IN THE ROOM TIP: 

INTRODUCE YOURSELF

PLEASE!

Don't ask

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?'

Ask us 

 'WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?'

3. OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS 

They count, for sure.

BUT REMEMBER THIS:

Whatever you believe about 'me'
is going to change drastically in 
just a few short years.

  

3. OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS TIP:

LET US SURPRISE YOU

Do Not: 
Harbor the same ideas about us ... FOREVER.

4. I MIGHT BE STARTING OVER 

For some of us, this a 2nd career.

It's terrifying, humbling and awesome.

Starting points are hard and are often

riddled with complexity that are overwhelming.

  

4. STARTING OVER TIP:

ACKNOWLEDGE THIS:

WE'RE SERIOUS
And we're proving it to you by being in the room. 

5. ASKING A QUESTION IS SCARY

It's like revealing you're really lost...

So asking NINJAS for help seems beneath us.
C'mon guys don't know everything.

But you do talk a good game.

5. ASKING A QUESTION IS SCARY TIP:

SO LET'S BE REAL

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE
And let's tackle the problems together.

6. WE'RE EDUCATED 

IN DIFFERENT FIELDS

We come with expertise,
and now we're building on it.

While we gain mastery over these 
new skills, don't create a barrier for us.

6. WE'RE EDUCATED IN DIFFERENT FIELDS TIP:

PLEASE STOP TELLING US

TO STICK TO WHAT WE KNOW
It's like saying to someone

STOP LEARNING - STOP TRYING

Don't be relevant. Don't even try.

7. 'TECH TALK' is

FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

If you size me up and talk tech right off 

the bat and I don't understand you...

Then say it in simpler terms.

7. TECH TALK IS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TIP:

IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN IT
IN SIMPLER TERMS

THEN YOU'VE GAINED TRUE MASTERY
Metaphors will get us there faster and you 
can actually have a conversation with us.
That is the point, right?

8. WE'RE LARGELY

MINORITIES

Diversity leads to better products.

Okay, we might not be doing pull
requests on the latest software builds but
we can definitely influence your project.

8. WE ARE LARGELY MINORITIES  TIP:

WE CAN IMPROVE 
YOUR OUTCOMES

OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE DIFFERENT

Better Design / Better UX
Better Strategy / Better Communication
Better outcomes / Better products

9. TRY TO LISTEN

Not just wait your turn to speak,
only to begin lecturing me on what
I've got totally wrong and how you're 
going to take me to the Promised Land.

And to abandon all my ideas about 'whatever'.

9. TRY TO LISTEN  TIP:

JUST LISTEN ATTENTIVELY.

THANKS IN ADVANCE